Cafe 1845

The only reason I go to café 1845 is because I work in the same building and it’s convenient. However, The food is mediocre at best on a good day. Most of their business comes from the PNC building probably for the same reasons. It’s convenient and it’s something to eat. That’s really about it! Sadly they really lack in everything else. Not one thing I have ever gotten there has really wow’d me. The employees dress like professional chefs, but be advised that they are not even close. Let’s start with the pizza, again for 3 dollars a slice, you can get much better pizza elsewhere downtown for even cheaper. The pizza crust is horrible, sauce is not great and some of the specialty pizzas they come up with just simply do not work. The homemade potato chips are WAY over cooked to the point that they just are not good at all, which is a shame because the seasoning they put on them isn’t bad. The rest of their food is either too salty or no taste at all. When people voice their concerns about the food, they are told that many customers like their food the way they make it, and they refuse to change anything. I know quite a few people who have complained about the pizza crust and the burnt chips. But nothing changes. The management has their head in the sand and only seems to listen to the select few that actually like it. When I inquired about the burnt homemade potato chips, I was told that many of their customers like them that way, which I believe to be simply false. Because there isn’t anybody that I know that likes burnt potato chips. There’s a reason why no other restaurants serve burnt chips, that’s because they aren’t good! Café 1845 really needs to start listening to their customers if they want to keep in business. If the pnc building were to close down, café 1845 would go right along with it, because the only reason why they get decent business is because it’s convenient for the people in the building, it’s food to put in your stomach to last you till dinner. That’s all! If you want a good tasting lunch, do yourself a favor and go elsewhere.

It’s convenient if you live in/​near the building. Always a decent selection; however, the quality of food has always been «meh». I’ve never finished a meal saying «Wow, I’m glad I went there», but it’s my top spot when I need something quick/​cheap.

Assuming they have new managment since the other reviews on here cannot be accurate. I LOVE this place. I have never had anything bad. their soups all home made and delicious; even make homemade potatoe chips! It appears they have professional cooks/​chefs on staff. The salad bar while small has excellent offerings! including grilled chicken; pasta salads and homemade croutons! Mass variety too; you could go everyday and never have the same thing.

because of its convenience, i want to be in love with café 1845, propose, get hitched, and live in a house in the ‘burbs with a white picket fence with it.
but then i’d just be settling. and i’m not a girl to settle. one day i’d wake up some time in my 40s and look at café 1845 and think «hmm. i could do better.»
i’m sorry, café 1845. it’s not that you don’t provide good offerings, with good sounding pizzas and entrees and different bars like a burrito bar or a stir fry bar. but every time i get back to my desk at work and sit down to what i think is going to be a stellar meal, i’m disappointed by lack of robust flavor (or flavor at all) and general food related happiness.
.but those cookies are good.

This place is really hit and miss for me, but dang, is it convenient! They do have a pretty good salad bar with lots of fixins and several dressings. They also have pre-​made salads that are good but a little pricy. The grill is also pretty reliable, with burgers and such, as is the deli counter. The sort of ‘iffy’ areas are the pizzas, the entrees, the soups, and the rotating ethnic-​food-​of-​the-​day counter (pasta bar, stir-​fry, burrito bar, etc.). There is a pretty good selection of grab and go items, such as the aforementioned salads, pre-​portioned fruit cups, yogurt parfaits, veggies, and $ 4 sack lunches (deli sandwich, fruit, homemade chips, and a cookie). Oh yeah, I almost forgot, there is a mini Starbucks with desserts but when they are busy no one is working it. Be warned, they do get very busy around noon, but if you get there at 11:30 — 11:45 it’s not bad.
They are open for breakfast but I haven’t been.

I don’t understand how it is that there are only 10 brands of potato chips here. Perhaps Cleveland is more health-​conscious than I ever imagined, or perhaps Café 1845 is just off its game. Fresh sandwiches are there and the pricing is fair. TVs for the lunch crowd are a plus and there are plenty of tables for everyone.